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Just east of downtown Galena along Historic Route 66 sits one of the town’s more unusual roadside curiosities, a small collection of historic rail equipment that has become a favorite photo stop for travelers exploring the Kansas stretch of the Mother Road.
The display includes three pieces of railroad history positioned on a short section of track near the Galena viaduct.
Erie Lackawanna Locomotive #315
The centerpiece is a weathered Erie Lackawanna Alco S-1 switcher locomotive, numbered 315. Built in the mid-20th century, the locomotive once worked industrial rail yards moving freight cars within rail terminals.
Today the locomotive sits rusting quietly along Route 66, its faded paint and worn metal telling the story of decades of railroad service. Although it is no longer operational, it remains a striking relic of America’s railroading past and a reminder of how closely Route 66 and the railroad era developed together across the Midwest.
The Burnt Presidential Railcar
Beside the locomotive stands the remains of a much rarer piece of railroad history.
This was Texas South-Eastern Railroad Business Car #100, built in 1899 as a private executive railcar for railroad leadership. Cars like this functioned as rolling offices and living quarters for railroad executives traveling their lines.
The railcar featured ornate interior details including a library and decorative tilework.
Local owner and former Galena mayor Dale Oglesby had plans to restore the historic car as a unique overnight accommodation for Route 66 travelers.
Unfortunately, in July 2020 the car was destroyed in a suspected arson fire, leaving only its charred metal structure behind. Today the burnt shell still sits beside the tracks, serving as both a haunting reminder of what once was and an unexpected piece of Route 66 history.
The Katy Caboose
Completing the display is a bright red Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (M-K-T) caboose, often called the Katy caboose.
Cabooses once rode at the end of freight trains and served as the office and living quarters for train crews. Visitors frequently stop to photograph the caboose alongside the locomotive, making it one of the more recognizable small roadside stops in Galena.
A Route 66 Curiosity
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